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50
their patients. He also visits the houses of patients attending the Dispensary
and supervises the work of the Health Visitors. The selection of
suitable patients for treatment in hospital and sanatorium is another
important duty, and necessitates a large number of written reports.
The number of deaths from Tuberculosis which took place in Westminster
in 1901 was 413, that is to say, 23 in every 10,000 of the population
at that date, while last year the number was 138 or 9.6 per 10,000 of the
present population. In a special report on the subject which I submitted
in 1904 I pointed out that the housing conditions in parts of the City
contributed excessively, thus while some areas had a rate of 5.0 only,
others gave rates of 45.0, 46.3, 49.8, 51.5, and one as high as 89.5.
The policy for the removal of such conditions and the improvement in
general sanitary conditions was adopted by the Council and has been
steadfastly carried out, although since the War it has been hampered in
many ways. Notwithstanding the increase of cases caused by the War
and post.War conditions in proportion to the population in 1901 and
now, the reduction in the number of persons suffering from pulmonary
tuberculosis is over 50 per cent. The result of the Council's action
during the last 24 years has therefore been amply justified.
Deaths.—In addition to the deaths in 1924 mentioned in the table
above, four males died who had been notified in the past as suffering from
tuberculosis : the cause of death was certified to be influenza (47),
myelitis (51), broncho.pneumonia (age 28), and enlarged prostate (77).
Four females died, the cause of death was certified to be bronchitis
(71), sclerosis of spinal cord (38), ursemia (38), accident (58).
Of the males, 45 of the deaths in the above table, and of the females
21, were new cases in 1924.
The remaining deaths, 45 males and 13 females, had been notified in
previous years:—
1912,3; 1916 and 1917,1 each ; 1918,4; 1919,4; 1920,3; 1921,7;
1922 10, and 1923, 25.